Card panel



April 26, 1960 w. B. WARD ETAL 2,933,999

CARD PANEL Filed Nov. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-$heet 1 5 TH; 6l5l2l a FIG-l TOR. WENDELL B. STANLEY K. FRANKS ATTORNEYS April 26, 1960 W. B. WARD CARD PANEL FIG-5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-7 Filed Nov. 25, 1957 INVENT OR.

B. WARD jv K. AJW;

F was fi ow ATTORNEYS CARD PANEL Wendell B. Ward and Stanley K. Franks, Marion, Ohio, assignors to Fulfillment Corporation of America, Marion, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application November 25, 1957, Serial No. 698,705

8 Claims. (Cl. 95-85) The present invention relates to an improved panel with runways for supporting card indexes in parallel relationship, and from which any card can be readily removed and replaced without disturbing the remaining cards.

Panels of this type are used in ofiices, such as procurement agencies of the government, also of large merchandising organizations who advertise through bids for parts or appliances to be made by outside manufacturers.

A description or perhaps miniature photographs, of the parts required are set up on printed cards showing the specifications, dimensions, reference to detailed drawings, the number of parts per unit necessary, and the cards are arranged on'panels in overlapping manner but leaving the printed or other informational matter to be readily seen. Photographs are, taken of these panels with the cards in position, and these photographmare assembled in a specification or contractors book for ready reference by a prospective buyer. The cards are changed from time to time when new information becomes available and additional photographs are taken, and such photographs are then substituted for those already in the specification or contractors book. Thus, the panel must lend itself to the insertion and withdrawal of cards and must hold them in strict parallel alignment, so that the printed matter will present an undistorted fiat surface to the camera, and all of the photographed material is clearly discernible.

In application Ser. No. 628,128, filed December 13, 1956, in the names of Wendell B. -Ward and Stanley K. Franks, there is disclosed an improved panel of the general type mentioned. However, the panel as disclosed in the said application employs runways which are rigidly attached to the panel, as by riveting, and also these runways are spaced a wide distance apart as to receive the so-called long cards or strips of paper containing the informational matter. a

It has been discovered on some occasions, depending on the necessary description of the material to be photographed, that cards of a much shorter length are more desirable than the usual long cards, such as disclosed in the earlier application, hereinabove mentioned. Moreover, it has additionally been found desirable that instead of mounting the cards on runways which are integrally attached to the metal panel, it may be more practical to mount the cards, particularly of the short type on miniature or narrow panels" which furnish their own runways, and then to detachably mount these small or narrow panels onto a large or ,wide panel of a character as will automatically maintain two or more rows of short cards in strict parallel and vertical alignment when presented to the camera.

One advantage of employing miniature panels which are detachably secured to a large panel, is that the small panels carrying their array of cards can be substituted one for the other on the large panel, and that when in- ,sertingthe cards in their respective positions on the small ,panels, the weightof the large panel is not present at this United States Patent 2,933,999 Patented Apr. 26, 1960 2 time. In this case, it is only after the small panels have received the final array of cards, in proper order, that the large panel is employed in order to align the cards of one of the miniature panels with those of the adjacent miniature panel. Thus, the number of thelarge and therefore more expensive panel is restricted to that required solely at the time of photgraphing the material since these panels are no longer necessary at the time that the cards are being mounted on the small panels.

Moreover, by providing miniature panels separate from the large photographing or assembly panel, the small panels can be arranged on the large panel at'predetermined distances apart so as to permit the so-called long" type of card to span two or more of the small panels without detracting from the concurrent use of the small panels from receiving short cards. Thus, by the improved panel structure herein disclosed both long and short cards can be accommodated at one and the same time, and this is brought about while using the minimum number of large panels and doing all of the assembly of the short cards on the miniature panels before the latter are detachably secured to the large panels and afterwards applying the long cards to the miniaturepanels when they are in position on the large panel.

Accordingly, the main object of the inventionisto provide an improved panel structure formed of a large panel adapted to accommodate twoor more smaller panels and in which the smaller panels carry runways for guiding removable .short, cards, and when the small panels are detachably secured to a large panel, the two panelsare adapted to receive between them cards of longer lengt 7' Another object is to provide an improved panel structure for receiving removable cards carrying printed or illustrative information concerning deivces who made and/or bid upon and in which there is provision for assembling the cards on separate portions of the panel structure, and then these portions can be detachably mounted on a large panel for photographic purposes Another object is to provide a panel s'tructureffor receiving cards containing printed and/or illustrative information to be photographed, and the photographsf to be contained in so-called specification or contractors book, the panel structure being formed of two .or more panel portions, one larger than the other, and the smaller panel being readily secured to and detachable from the large panel, the small panel being adapted to receive the record cards in overlapping relation for photographic purposes when mounted on the large portion of the panel structure. v i I v A further object is to provide a large metal panel adapted detachably to receive two or more smaller panels and in which theattaching means onthe largepanl'is of a character as to eliminate any stress or strain in the metal of the large panel, thereby permitting the latter to remain flat. i i M Other objects and featureswill be apparent.as the specification is perused in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: i i

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the improved panelsl l ture, showing the large panel on which is mountedlat each side two smaller panels, the cards to be photographed being typified at the lowerleft hand and the upper [right band corners of the figure, i i i Figure "2 is a transverse sectional view of the panel structure taken along line 22 in Figure 1, but the cards removed, Figure 3 is a plan view looking at the rear. surface of the large panel portion of the structure, the showingbe ing broken away along the transverse middle, Figure 4 is a sectional detail view of the curved loci;- ing lugs which extend upwardlyfrom"the large lower v216 square inches. A of an inch. The large panel is provided lengthwise panel member near the bottom edge thereof for detachably receiving the lower ends of the smaller panels,

Figure is a perspective view shown in two portions and looking down on top of the large panel on which is mounted one of the smaller panels. There is also shown by way of an exploded perspective view in the upper portion of the two-part showing, an improved card stop which is adapted to extend across the smaller panel to limit the distance over which the cards can be caused to slide along the small panel,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Figure l and showing the large and small panel portions in position, with particular reference to the detachable locking mechanism,

on and adapted to receive a series of long cards span- .ning both of the small panels.

Referring to Figure 1, reference character 1 designates a sheet of metal, preferably aluminum for lightness, and having a length and width sufficient to accommodate at least two sets of miniature or small panels which either carry their own cards as explained hereinafter, or are adapted to accommodate between them a set of long" cards in overlapping relation.

It will be understood that regardless of whether the cards are of the short type as illustrated in Figure 1, or of the long" type as illustrated in Figure 7, the general purpose of the panel 1 is to receive two or more small panels generally indicated by reference characters 2, 3, and the cards carried thereon are intended to be photographed in order to present the printed material as a'whole onto pages in a specification or contractors book.

For this purpose it is necessary that the metal sheet member 1 designated hereinafter as a large panel shall remain perfectly fiat, i.e. have no bending or warping stresses for, otherwise, when the small panels are applied in the manner described hereinafter, the structure as a whole will not lie flat and the picture taken or" the cards -that have been slid into overlapping position will be distorted, and perhaps hard to read when inserted in the con tractors book.

As an example of the size of the large panel, one that is now in use in a typical engineering department, is approximately l /2 feet long by 1 foot wide, representing Thickness of a typical panel is about with upturned webs or ridges approximately equidistantly spaced along the width of the panel and about half an inch Wide and inch high. These three ridges designated 4 in Figure I serve the purpose of rendering the relatively long and wide sheet to metal rigid in the longitudinal direction, and the two outer ridges serve addi- 'tionally as guideways for slidably receiving the pair of small panels described in detail hereinafter.

At the extreme left and right hand ends of the panel 1, there is a flange 5 turned upward and inward which also serves the function of adding rigidity lengthwise to the large panel, and in addition these flanges serve the additional purpose of supporting the ends of the cards.

In the same connection the middle ridge 4 gives support to the center portion of the long cards, and as will be apparent when describing the array of short cards on the two small panels, the middle ridge is adapted to receive the ends of the short cards, and in that way serve as a support for such ends.

The large panel at one end, the upper as shown, is provided with four wide hooks 6, a pair of such books arranged on each side of the outermost two ridges 4 for receiving and holding in position the upper ends of the two small panel members, as will also be described in more detail hereinafter.

Located at about the same comparable position at the 'lower end of the large panel, there are two pairs of upstanding circular projections 7 or tabs, preferably formed 4 by a punching operation out of the metal itself to leave small openings directly under each projection. The purpose of the projections or tabs is to serve as a locating element for the lower end of each small panel and for this reason the projections are located equidistantly on both sides of the two outer ridges 4.

It has been found in practice that when a large panel of the size mentioned hereinbefore, made of thin aluminum, and in which the ridges 4 are pressed upwardly and the flanges 5 are also formed by a pressing and bending operation, that the presence of the upstanding projections 7 and their accompanying openings seem to relieve the ends of the panel of all warping or bending stresses which might otherwise prevent the panel from lying flat.

It will be understood that in forming the ridges 4 by pressure, i.e. causing the metal to flow while cold, stresses may be induced within the metal, which unless relieved, would tend to bulge or warp the panel in the transverse direction. However, for some reason which we do not thoroughly comprehend, the presence of the openings directly below the upraised projections seem to cause the metal over the entire width of the panel to lie flat notwithstanding the considerable pressures necessary to form the ridges 4 and the bending efforts at the flanges 5.

The large panel is adapted to receive two or more (two as illustrated) smaller panels Which are generally designated by the reference character 3 in Figure 2. These smaller panels 8 have a length substantially the same as the length of the large panel and are preferably made of sheet metal. The small panels have a central ridge extending longitudinally down the middle and formed integral with the body of the panel. There are also upturned laterally extending portions at 10 along the edges of the small panels. The middle ridge 9 is of approximately the same width as the ridge 4 of the large panel, perhaps slightly larger, in order to move slidably over the ridge of the larger panel in order that the small panel can be located in longitudinal position.

The two outer upstanding portions 10 of each small panel serve as guide ways for receiving punched out ears 11 (Figure l) which press under the raised guide ways 10 of each small panel. The cards can therefore he slid lengthwise of the panel and yet, temporarily held in any desired position transversely of the panel. When arranged for photographic purposes, the cards overlap one another as indicated in Figure 1, so as to expose any printed or illustrative material appearing thereon.

Inasmuch as the only securing means between the cards and the panel are the ears 11 formed out of the 'body of the cards, it is a simple matter to press these ears into position under the guide ways 10 and to remove one or more cards when necessary in case a change in design or dimension of the article described on the cards makes necessary a change in the description or illustrative showing.

The small panel is provided at each end with a pair of openings 12 shown as being rectangular, of which one pair is at a position coinciding with the position of the upstanding projection 7 of the large panel, and therefore constitutes one of the means by which the small panel is detachedly held in position on the large panel. The small panel, in addition, at the lower end is provided with a downwardly extending hook 13 of a width as to be loosely received by the lower edge of one of the outermost ridges 4, the upper end of the small panel being adapted to be received by the books 6 of the large panel so that these two sets of hooks 6 and 13 together with the upstanding tabs 10 detachably hold the small panel to the main panel, and the central ridge on the panel which slidably fits over ridge 4 of the main panel locates the small panel in the transverse direction.

Thus, the small panel is firmly but detachably held .to the main panel and is accurately located both in the portions 10 serve as guide ways for the small cards 14 through the use of the ears, and in addition, the portions ,10 together with the central ridge 9 serve as support for the Cards maintaining them in a flat condition lengthwise, i.e. in the transverse direction of the main panel. If

the cards are somewhat longer than the small panel, they may extend to a position half way across the center ridge 4 ofithe main panel and half way across the flange of themainpanel, in which case the said ridge and flange also serve as a back support. The cards are, therefore, assured of a flat position except for the slight overlapping efiect, and there is little or no distortion of the contents of the cards when presented to a camera.

In order to eliminate the sliding effect of the uppermost and lowermost. card, i.e. to prevent it from being .slid beyond the upper or lower limits of the small panel,

an improved stop 15 may be employed. This stop is comprised of a flat strip of spring steel having a small tab 16 extending upwardly and outwardly from the strip, preferably at the inner edge of the strip The latter is provided with a pair of tongues 17 which are adapted .to fit into'openings 18 formed at the inner edges of the guidew'ays 10. Two or more pairs of theseopenings may be provided along the small panel at eachend so that the spring stop member 15 can be pulled upwardly by allowing the. tab 16 to be inserted under the fingernail, and when tie strip is bent upwardly at the middle,

the tongues 17 are withdrawn from the openings 18 and the stop member can thenbe moved along the panel member to be inserted into opposite pairs of other openings at the proper position. Thus, as thecards are slid downwardly or upwardly to a position near the ends of the guide ways 10, the card will be caught under the tab or lip 16 and can be moved no farther.

It will be understood that the large panel may be of any width desired and have as many guiding ridges 4 as necessary in order to slidably receive two, three, or even more of these small panels, in which case the suitable number of the hooks 6 and 13 and the upstanding projections will be provided for the various panels.

When removing the small panel from the large panel, the spring stops can'be left in place and it is simply necessary to apply a slight pressure under the central guiding ridge of the main panel in order to cause the small panel to be raised slightly above the projections 10, at which time the small panel can be slid easily downwardly to disengage the upper hook members of the panel and the lower hook member of the small panel so that the latter can be moved entirely free from the main panel.

The small cards are then assembled on the small panel in overlapping relation but exposing the material to be photographed, and the ears of the cards are pressed j downwardly so as to engage the under surface of the guide ways 10.

When'the sufiicient number of cards have been applied to the small panel, it is then detachably positioned on the large panel in the manner stated hereinbefore, and a second panel with similar cards is slidably received by the guiding ridge of the main panel to the left or right of the position of the small panel already located, and then the main panel with the two or moresrnaller panels in place is positioned under the camera and a picture of all of the cards taken.

This picture can be reduced to the desired size and copies made, to be inserted into the contractors book so as to advertise for bids. It becomes a simple matter when changes in the photographed material become necessary to remove the card on which the changes are to 'wise in spaced relation to one another and extending be made, leaving the remaining cards in place, and then els in such a Way that the ends of the long cards flexibly engage the under surface of the two extreme guide 'ways of the small panels, as illustrated in Figure 7.

It is also apparent that any one of the small panels can be periodically supplied with a series of small cards and then a second small panel placed in position on the large stitutions of equivalents as may be considered to'corne within the scopeof the appended claims.

We claim: 1. A panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic reproducing, said structure comprising a panel for receiving said cards and detachably superposed on a rectangular sheet member of metal, said sheet member having a series of upstanding ridges extending throughout the length of said member in spaced relation to one another, the longitudinal edges of the member having bent-over flanges, turned upwardly in the same direction as said ridges, and also extending inwardly toward the middle oftlie sheet member, said ridges and flanges being substantially of the same height,

the ridges of said member being adapted detachably to receive one or more small panels having recesses which slidably fit over the ridges of said member, the surface of said sheet member opposite from said ridges and flanges being continuously fiat in the lengthwise and widthwise directions except at the position of said ridges.

2. A panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic reproduction, said structure comprising a panel for receiving said cards and detachably superposed on a rectangular sheet member of metal, said sheet member having a series of upstanding ridges extending lengththroughout the length of said member, the longitudinal edges of the member having bent-over flanges, turned upwardly in the same direction as said ridges and also extending inwardly, said ridges and flanges being substantially the same height, the ridges of said member being adapted to receive one or more small panels having recesses which slidably fit over the ridges of said member, the latter serving as a combined spacer and support for two or more small panels which are detachably secured to said member, said ridges and flanges being integral with the body of the member, the lower surface of said sheet member being continuously flat throughout the length of the member, and continuously flat in the widthwise direction except at the position of said ridges.

3. A panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic.reproduction, said structure comprising a panel for receiving said cards and detachably superposed on a rectangular sheet member of metal, said sheet member having a series of upstanding ridges extending length Wise in spaced relation to one another, the longitudinal edges of the member having bent-over flanges, turned upwardly in the same direction as said ridges and also extending inwardly, said ridges and flanges being substantially the same height, the ridges of said member being adapted to receive one or more small panels having recesses which slidably fit over the ridges of said member, the latter serving as a combined spacer and support for two or more small panels which are detachably secured to said member, said ridges being pressed out of the metal of the sheet member, means for relieving said member of strain due to the pressing of the metal, and means positioned at least at one end of the sheet member for detachably securing the slidable small panel to said ridges.

to receive one or more small panels having recesses which slidably fit over the ridges of said member, the latter serving as a combined spacer and support for two or more .small panels which are detachably secured to said member, said ridges being pressed upwardly out of the metal of the sheet member, and means for relieving said member of strain due to the pressing of the metal, said means comprising a plurality of openings positioned between the ridges and near one of the lateral edges of the sheet member, and means positioned at both ends of the panel structure for detachably securing the slidable small panel to said ridges.

5. A panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic reproduction, said structure comprising a rectangular sheet member of metal having a single ridge extending lengthwise of the member, flanges along both edges of the member and parallel to said ridge, said flanges being pressed out of the metal and extending in the same direction as the ridge, said flanges and ridge being approximately of the same height, the outer edges of the flanges being adapted to receive projections extending from said cards which set on are supported by the ridge and the flanges, and means for limiting the distance over which the cards move along the ridge and flanges when detachably supported by the said projections, said means including pairs of oppositely disposed openings spaced along the inner edges of said flanges and adapted to receive a strip of springy metal which provides an abutment for the lowermost or the uppermost edges of the array of cards.

6. A rectangular composite metal panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic reproduction, said structure comprising at least two panel portions, one

' of which is larger than the other and detachably secured together, said large panel portion comprising a sheet or" metal having a plurality of ridges extending lengthwise of said portion and spaced from one another, a small panel portion comprising a sheet of metal of less width than the large panel portion and having a grooved recess forming a ridge extending longitudinally thereof down the middle,

' said recess being adapted slidably to receive one of the ridges of the large panel portion, said small panel portion being adapted to receive cards in overlapping reiation for presentation to a camera, means including flanges extending along the outer edges of the small panels for guiding the cards in a sliding detachable manner, and means for detachably securing the small panel to the large panel, said last mentioned means comprising a hook located at one end of the large panel which is adapted to receive the adjacent end of the small panel, a hook at the opposite end of the small panel for receiving the ad- '-jacent end of the large panel, and a projection extending upwardly from the large panel which fits into an opening of the small panel for preventing the release of one panel from the other at the said hooks by a relative movement of the panels in the longitudinal direction.

7. A rectangular composite metal panel structure for indexing cards in position for photographic reproduction, said structure comprising at least two panel portions, one of whichis larger than the other and detachably secured together, said large panel portion comprising a sheet of metal having a plurality of ridges extending lengthwise of said portion and spaced from one another, a small panel portion comprising a sheet of metal of less width than the large panel portion and having a grooved recess forming a ridge extending longitudinally thereof down the middle, said recess being adapted slidably to receive one of the ridges of the large panel portion, said small panel portion being adapted to receive cards in overlapping relation for presentation to a camera, means including flanges extending along the outer edges of the small panels for guiding the cards in a sliding detachable manner, and means for detachably securing the small panel to the large panel, said last mentioned means comprising hooks which are located at the ends of the panels and prevent the small panel from being pulled fiat-wise away from the large panel when the hooks engage the panels, but do not prevent the panels from being slid one on the other lengthwise to disengage the hooks from the panels, and means for detachably preventing the panels from being slid with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction, whereby the hooks and the last mentioned .metal having a plurality of ridges extending lengthwise of said portion and spaced from one another, a small I panel portion comprising a sheet of metal of less width than the large panel portion and having a grooved recess forming a ridge extending longitudinally thereof down the middle, said recess being adapted slidably to receive one of the ridges of the large panel portion, said small panel portion being adapted to receive cards in overlapping relation for presentation to a camera, means including flanges extending along the outer edges of the small panels for guiding the cards in a sliding detachable manner, means for detachably securing the small panel to the large panel, said last mentioned means comprising hooks which are located at the ends of the panels and prevent the small panel from being pulled flatwise away from the large panel when the hooks engage the panels, but do not prevent the panels from being slid one on the other lengthwise to disengage the hooks from the panels, and means for detachably preventing the panels from being slid with respect to another in the longitudinal direction,

whereby the hooks and the last mentioned means prevent accidental movement or disengagement of the panels with respect to one another, said last mentioned means comprising openings in the small panel and projections on the large panel which are received by said openings as long as the panels are in fiat-wise contact with one another.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,963,806 Rand June 19, 1934 2,093,940 Straubel Sept. 21, 1937 2,635,607 Gunn Apr. 21, 1953 

